Variety (May 1946)

66 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, May 15, 1946 Plays Abroad Can-fan London, May 9. Jack llyllon presentation of i-t" r- •tin In- two acts by Max .(.'aiu-.. J.>rl>'?> by Fred S. TyMi: music of Offenbach hithhki'iI by llerniird tirun. lilrecied h> \vi]1i:iut .\b-l'- IImiii. Al Alinlii Hioturo. l.i-o, Frank l> n :MnrKarel IJaVisim ,'. .Cllirir-I M'«1I1:miii ,.Ni.-l .Mniri-. ,. XW.W I*'.-* I'nl'iiliit; .■,KliKib.Mh'-'l-'ivin-li -..\l>« '!'> rrvll LliHT-'U Iniki- ; ..-■•>]>■! Ii 'iiih .. .(.Tuiil— Miht-ij- ....... iVUT 4MM-II .-.. Wlltiam AWn^'im ...Andrew Mai-scy Alphonae. dc l'erl-. Colette (I'IC«i>Ikii>-. I'nul Latum- Due ilc ('li.miluvaii.. Count Simon AnKel" Mil lil .'. I.i.lllil..... Anion Mum-Ice .'.'... I'icrrc. JK'iirl t'nfc Waiter......... Jack Hylton poured nearly $100,000 into this Offenbach show, but -is rather certain to make a profit on it. his most elaborate production lo dale. It is an exasperating production. So much that is good* quarrels with so much that is bad, with the result it's a surprise that it ever came out in one piece. Max Catto's script is banal .to a degree. Much heavily wooden dia- logue from the pantomime age goes along with-ham situations to match. But the music, comedy and cast over- come'this'-handicap to great.extent. Story, set' in. the. Paris .of 1860 where Hoffmann told his tales, tells of a young, diplomat, Count Simon, who throws over the redhead Colette to marry Angela, the actress, on the eve of her final stage . appearance. But. a former lover, Paul Latour. turns up from Vienna, and thsrc is the usual scrimmage of plots -and passions before love triumphs. William Mollison's direction is leisurely and old-fashioned, but he mixed , the. recipe, for what it is worth, with a skill. First night's run- ning time of over three hours told against him. . . Pictorially 'the show is a honey, with Bal Tabarin, Montpai'nasie and a ducal ball as highlights. There is a profusion of saucy hats, hooped skirts, velvets, frills and frou-frou to catch the eye. As a costume piece. It dazzles. Pauline Grant's "Tales of Hoffman" ballet in the second half is dramatic and exciting,' and clinches an eve- ning strong in choreography. A young . newcomer, Elizabeth French, tops a cast in which young talent is abundant. She is a blonde whose nice voice and bright- appear- ance exactly fit musical comedy. Margaret'Davison's Colette and Do- reen Duke a6 a fiery little dancer add much to the general success. They are nicely supported by Charles Dorning's singing. Clifford Mollison and Leo Frank- lyh easily tackle the low comedy and high romance. With Offenbach's music liberally used (at least 20 of the famous tunes are here >, this show should pull through to nice money. Ebet. Anpres de Ma Blonde ("Near My Blonde") Paris, May 9. Yvonne Frlntemps production of comody ln five acta (one set) by Marcel . Acliiml. Stars Yvonne Prlnterops and Pierre Fres- nay; features Claire Jordan, Bernnnl Bller, Jacquea Dynain. Set by Max Douy. Dresses by Jeanne Lanvln. Directed by I'lerrc Freanay. At Mlchodlcre theatre. In Act 1 Touaaalnt Leaparre HIb Son Frederic' Xlcolaa Merbve*... Claude Leaparre... Oulllaunic Pierre Photographer .... Emilia Leaparre.., Claire Merovee..., BlAnche Leaparre. Nicole Merovee.... Secretary ......... Nurse In Act 2 Antolne Cresalda In Act 3 Daniel Ardouln Soldier on Leave: In Act 4 Sebaatlen Leaparre Michel Francois In Act 5 Jerome Ardouln Bernard Illler Sebiwtlen Leaparro j ;.. .Jean raul Asnea Ardouln. . .....Blanche DeticKe Veronlque Leaparre'.Chrlsllane Jlorrv rierre Fresnay .Bernard. Bller ...Jacques Dynam Jean Paul' ....Philippe KellorbOn %.Jacquea Muller .; Jean HellonKer .... Yvonne Prinlenipa i........Qlnlre Jortlnn . .Marcelle -Taaalnrourt Chrlatlone. Harry Lurlehne (.'.ranlcr .Tatyo Ch.iuvln .. .Gabriel (lobln . .Louiso Cu'lpeyn . .Bernard Blli ..Yves M&saard Handsomely produced, well di- rected and acted, this cleverly scripted play will undoubtedly pack the Michodiere for a long time. It was enthusiastically received. Play looks a natural for the screen. Marcel Achard, now foremost writer of love stories on stage and screen, has done a story of love at the vari ; ous times in life cleverly reversing the "cavalcade" chronological idea by showing first old age and then go- ing further into the past. Play opens in Paris during 1939 on the golden wedding anniversary of a rich, elderly couple, extremely de- voted to each other. The old man, who is still the heads the family business, shows that he does not in- tend to abdicate, even when he and his wife are alreadv old and deaf. Second' act. reverts to the happy days of 1920, showing that the old man was still feeling his oats. then. Third act takes place two years be- fore, during the war, and shows the wife waiting for news from her hus- band, who does not apppar in the scene. Next act reverts to 1900 when the couple were still young and a school- boy brother of the husband was liv- ing with them. It shows the boy commiting suicide. The 'fifth act •hows how the couple- got married when the penniless young man suc- ceeded in convincing the girl he wanted her to acccpthim despite her rich father's advice. Acting is - topflight throughout. Well-directed by Pierre Fresnay, who. as co-manager of'.the. theatre would take no billing credit, action is framed around.the Pierre Fresnay- Yvonne Priulerhps combo, as the tiile couple. "Au'pres de ma Blonde," play's title, is from-a pop French song. Fresnay is excellent as the husband who before he matures into a devoted old husband, is an im- petuous lover and later a flighty mate. Yvonne Printoirips does not _ miss a.situation. She is the very deaf i old lady, the sensible, tactful wife in 1020 and the devoted soldier's wife in World. War I: In the last scene, she is the 1889 daughter. Claire Jordan, in the opchmg se- quence the middle.aged 'daughter of the old couple, shows her dramatic ability in the next net wiu-n jilted by the- young: man she hud met two year.-! before during the.war. Denise Benoit. as the maid has been in the. family for years also shows con'sidciabU- ability, Chrislitme Barry has a do-.ih'e .roie. being granddaughter of IIk> old couple, and later the younger sister. Bernard Blier has really four char- acterizations. Jacques DynahV who first appears as the middle i-seii se-ii- in-law of the old couolc. is later the yoitng. man of 1920. Michel Fran- cois-.'in'the 1900 episode, is the voting boy .who commits suicide because of love for his sister-iiirlaw. Gabriel Gobin is the family butler. Juvenile Jean Paul also has a doliblc part. . There is only one set. the drawing room of • the Frosnay-Printemps house, -with an open flight of stairs leading to a-gallery on which varir ous rooms open. But though room remains the same," the fittings and decorations as well as the furniture .fit in with the change in taste and fashions.-.' The. whole thing has a telling effect on Parisian audiences. Foreign reaction might benefit by an adapta- tion of , the French family back- ground to appropriate locales. ■. . Afnxt. deficient lover, is excellent perform- ance; • Andre Valmy,. cast as his guiding: -friend, puts across.thc man who can- not allow himself to lei the other fellow down. He is especially good in.execution scene. . Cliiudiiic Dupuis displays sex ap- peal as I he woman who I'-'nds life dull - until she starts chasing men. Support is good, with special honors going to Vital and Georges Saillard. Georges Wtikhcvileh's sets of the ranch dormitory anil the stable arc among the- best on the Paris stage this season, Parisian audiences arc evidencing increased . interest In American stories' and locales because of the unusually large number of American novels translated for use as serials in thcdajly and weekly press. Mn.vi. and l.«»w«'!*l London. Atay 10. who '"I'"' 1 /.-I'll Mill .1. W. 1'i-iiiIiim-I..|| ait.l A A. ; -.-111:11 inn mi lllilll i-il'tli.H in' l.titv" in luii p:irts (.".li .,riu> l\ i\r> l.y ' -Vhiii y<<-\\ jilt-; nuij-i, Xi.;ir; ii.,nt-.' . Ii.\- t;--,Hi;'- f.iiil I... l-linili;. Ili.-kii);iii. ' Star.- Jl ):,>l,l. 1 Koniliill Willi U.-ol'-pi-. l':n-'i-ii. t ;r,-l,'-lii-n l-V: ^\ rl^lu. t:i, lirird Cin iiix-K. Ili'V Hi urili .M„liji-.l .Milllin i |-:i'i-i Tivwix Mimi-ii • ..-':nl,n> -I lu-m IV: Mil.t-iiv-'. |, k -i>. "Si\,-'i-i mill . I:1,i|.t l.v I'lliilli-.- ii. I liri-.-li-il riliii-l:.' Uin- !iIm:i W'imi.I. .•Mill. l>li\i- K -i.l. C 'lit-iM- .'.-Hlh- Sl.if- ■•iiiiin-i-.' . ,\( IValional Velvet London. April 24. Knv(.y Productions.. I.lil.. iirrsr-MUilion of ploy in tln^e acta by Knld ItiiRnntd fi-pm her novel, liirertod'-by Anihuny llawtrcy. M Kinb.-iyiiy tliciiire. -Ml Taylor. Velvet Ilroivn....*. Jlrs. I{ro«-n; Mr. Brown Meredlih Krowh... Rdwlna BroMii.... Teddy. Clerk Lord TuhinarHh . .Edward' Chapman .'I'IImi Pane ...M:n-ie I.oltr Ni.M M<.rrls .. ..Toscphhie -Slunrt. ... M-.iry Muckenzle ...M.^. -Poto- -Bell ^hamt Sutton ..... .(icovgo Uutlcr . Its successful adaptation to the: screen- must .have encouraged the authoress to try her hand at stage dramatization' of her novel. But the. film's big outdoor - scenes and win- ning of the Grand National shown readily on the screen either is lack- ing or only given via the spoken word and sound effects on the stage. Play's action is almost entirely in the honic of the butcher's family, and talking about the horse's grow- ing prowess is not the same as see- ing the action. The only exciting part is the description of the race coming over the radio in the jockeys' changing room at Aintrce. At crucial moments the set goes sour, causing plenty of laughs. But this is -toe-j-with the ballet, two pianist.s 'aiid "the Third edition of •■Swcot and Low" tl.lS4th performance sineo opening date I. is the slickest, sniarlcsl and best in series. And also the naugh- tiest.' ' Hrrmioric Gingokl. who hns a cor- nci\ on artistic dirl and is well part- nered by Henry- Kendall.; : larts. oft' big in an item called "Self Portrait." In this number her anatomy is a mixture of Surrealism and gaudy Technicolor. She 'proceeds litter to a bitter attack oh Noel Coward's war career called. -'Noel, Noel." then a speech.on India which doesn't quite come off and a scene in hell with Harry Kendall which is strewn with vicious w'il. Kendall is . no less, effeclive. in a nostalgic scene about the old Daly's theatre, in a salirical skit as a duchess instructing a GI in behavior, as" a Guards officer making love to an actress, and best of all. "Initiative." Last is the one serious sketch in the show.' If concerns a navigator from Bomber. Command praised for ; his initiative in war. At the demobiliza- tion office, he is sackejl. In'the. supporting cast are several bright young things, in particular Edna )■• Wood,. Grctchen Frai-.klyn. Richard Curnock and George Ciirden, who sing, dance and unnotnicc in the proper spirit of abandon. MissFraiik- lyn has one song about her boy. friend in the army, "The Last to Gel Out,", which shows her. as something more than a revue actress.. Perhaps the most vicious item at all. is "Film Foursome.'' which chews to rags the foiir reigning -fa- vorites of the British screen. Phyllis Calvert, Margaret Locltwood, Stew- art Granger and James Mason. Ait extra line is thrown in to encourage J. Arthur Rank, probably his first taste of fame on the revue stage. "Sweetest and Lowest" is the work of a new ex-R.A.F. author. Alan Mel- ville, although he has contributed revue items before. He has written the best show of Us kind in town and is being compared with Noel Cow- ard. He is by no means a Coward, for he lacks his infallible touch. Nor does he compose or act. But his quality is unmistakable. Show is set for a long run and got plenty of applause opening night, slender a prop to stmport the entire Play- . - Tilsa Page gives a sincere por- trayal of the schoolgirl fanatically devoted to horses. She is second best to the earnest, tense performance projected by Elizabeth Taylor. Marie Lohri a vet West End star is sympathetic but not quite at home as the chilij's mother. Edward Cliap- man per usual is strong as Mi Tay- lor, - the role played by JMickcy Roohey on the screen. This-book lacks punch as a plav, and doubtful if it will move int.> the West End. Clem, Sourli* FA De* Honmm ("Of Mice and Men") Paris. April 30. Jacques Hcrbeitoi presenl'mlon cu" drninu In throe acts Mx srencs) fi-uni JoTin Stehr- lieck'sHovel. J-'j-ench lianalution by Jl:ir<cl Duliiinie). lValurea Amlrc Vnln-.y, Kolieii Hubert, and Clauillno Diiiiuls. Dlrej-icil by Paul Oel.lly. Si-is by Cei-rces tViiklu-vitV b. At Theatre Hi'berl. tleorfic... I.«-nnl»»..:....... C'.-indy. Tin' Boss Curlry Cur|cy-a wife.. Slim Cilrlaon........'. Whit.:.... C'rooke'.......... The Duff . .. Aiulre Valmy ... ^to'ici-t ljcli.-rt .tl--u>K % » SiillhirO Kon.e Alone .. .f Iiiy Diicoirihle. .t-Uiiiiliii<- Dupuis ..Yllul HoK'-r ltufal .l«iilt Oi-Klv Joe Ale* ............. Diek Jacques. Hebertot, has given this play,'done originally in N. Y. in 1037. every possible chance here.. The Cast is strong, and Marcel - Duhamel's translation includes plenty of coarse words which the audience accepts. Despite its slow story development, this show is likely to have 3 fair run here. [On Broadway, John Stein- beck's "Of Mice and Men" was a moderate success.] ., Robert. Hebert, as. ,thc mentally decor getting a share of credit. Ebet. Maria Paris. April. 17. Clondc Sainval and Jiolaini 1'ii-n; l.n.iiur. lion of play In two oils l.v Audi* dl.ev Stnia Bernard Bller. P.osy Vavie: reainiiiiic Rocer lainaii, Hiizamie Nli-ntie, .l:if(|in-a Sjirlere, I.ui leii Blondean. llpmieiln Jlori-t. More ( iisnot. Paginal' Ornrd. I loin i x„a. ale.l. Yvelle l-'ayolle. Diieclnl bv Cl.inile Sainval. .sel by lietnard Dnyde. At Coni- edla rfoa Champa Elvse'es. Ilia JlanoBor.... Mario.........,.*. Maurice....-...'... Mine, l-'orosl ier.. Hem! The D(m-Ioi- Malhililn. tieoiftea.'. I'irnin.i Peariieri 'jlan.... Jeamic....' T)»in.ird Hilar-' P.oay Turie ....liwc-r r.auvan .-Siizrim.u Nlyelle ..lav-inn-* <<vvv-i-ia- .. I'.ui-li'ii- Blmnlriiu .. ili-i,rl«iii. Muret. ...-...Alan- (-jaunt .,.'. t>:iRiii:nv aernnl . . . .lli-nri . Nasalet ...VvetH- I'.D'ollo character, supposed to portray. Death, is on the stage. Rosy Varte does the" girl, and Death is impersonated by Heiiri Nossict. No cast could save. I his; Afflxi.' A flop, production of which only can be. explained as a tact (til gesture towards the author who, besides hav- ing already written ' Noe," recently was appointed, official head ot the Comcdic Franchise where he already was acting manager. He also is a high official in the Ministry of Fine Arts. Using a nearly bare theatre, stage, plot shows Bernard Bliev. as a"man- ager trying to build, a ti-aacdv about what h'c recalls- of Faulkitcr's story. "Mistral." Assisted by his icerctarv, Suzanne Nivctlc, he calls to lire vari- ous characters in what looks like an attempt to give the show a I'iran- dojlo touch. This !misses by a long margin. It's nearly .impossible to. under- stand'what the story is all about. There's an-old man who is insanely jcaloiis of his worthless young ward. He poisons a man she was compelled to marry despite her affair witii a' gigolo who has another feinmc. and on the string. The ward finally takes poison. Most of the time a .bearded Frieda London, May 3. fiherol; [•layer*. Mil., mnrAim tu.imcll nf 0iv:il, Mriluln piv-Hi-ntiilluir i,r 'lii-w ;--!:iy III lln-.-u una by Itoimlil Miliar, l>iii- ( :,-,i i,v Irone llemaclml. At Wi'8liii!nslor llu-aliv. ' Mr.i, Miu'y 'Da'n-«on.. I-Mcanor Dawaon Tuny ..Dawson........ .Mvk- ,1'ud.v iMuvaou..,. Tom Meirlik Jlnber.1 Dni\-!.un...,.,. l-'rlpiln Itli-havil Alauari-lil. . .. |ie\ . I-'i-aih Is Miiiivoc. ... .llni !imi;i Kiti-,-m Marbara -<Ti'»iiiii-i' ..I!ay .t.u-l,.-<i.ii ,i. . .frsuln ll'iw-ell.s ... .Itli'llaiil Wai'iMM' . ..lack Allen Vnlci-I.- Wliii.. <-:li'l -l.-uri- l-lilKui- N'oi folk Noel Coward's satirical song ot the war. "Don't Lets Be Beastly lo the Germans." has become a soriou.s play Avritlcn by an ex-Navy oll'icer of 2U. who is also ah actor; Should we fralcrnii'.e with the Ger- mans, or not? That's the t|iiisiioii posed here,. An H.A.F. officer,, .lack Allen, comes back to his hometown with a German wife, Valarie- White, who saved.his life during the war. She is the deep, bhie-eyeil Saxon type who strides manfully across, the stage. Once she enters the scene, temperatures rise"', the town objects and the family is divided- . The mother accepts the situation because her son is involved. Iter, sitter-in-law. Barbara COup^r. ts bit- terly opposed and fears it .will ilc- slroy her chances as a budding mem- ber of Parliament. Then litere"* Ur- sula Howells. whose husband died in the war. She is lorn -between sisterly affection . and concealed jealousy. For long ago she was in love with Jack. ' , AU lhcse conflietiiig elements build to a big scene near the end .when the German girl's brother, is attacked by the local people Tor the -sadistic Iluii he certainly is. , Ronald Millar, as a Navy man who was torpedoed in the Allanlie. is still in deep water with his p'ay. ■ His arguments are not always convincing but they are always theatrically ef- fective. It is when they ar." the besl "Ihealret^-ttiart'thcj- -are -tne worst' arguments. But he" has: a subject-of wide interest and excitement. In Valeric White, ns the Gcrnian hero- ine,, he has an actress of look:- and intelligence who gives a vivid iiuet- prctatioh: Play had a good reception and looks a hit:' Summer weather may, hurt. It already has been' b>>ugiil by Michael Balcoii, head of Ka'ing Stu- dios, for production by the end o f the year. : Ebet. I^tN IneeadialreN (■'The Firebrands") Paris, April 21, Pierre T.curla and, Jeaii CIihhK- ■■rmin.-iion or .thice-ai.-l. drama by ■ Manric; l'l:ivc|-. I'-.eal'ui-'-a Jaffiui-y hVanciiia. J'Va'ticui.^* t'.i.u- ilr.'iy, Jose Qimclio. Max .V.-llcni-. I>irei-li>il by .lean Vernier. At- KoclaininnYs ilii-alvi-. Jerome...;; l.-ii-iiin-s . l--|-;ui,-nly Pomiiiiiiiie ,. ..Kraiii-iilt'i- (faililiav I-'raur-i.ls ; i.. s , tjuaulh, Claude si«.\ I'airne Although an inexpensive produc- tion and directed in slow <empo v this play has been favorably received here. Plot revolves around French underground, activities in Paris.' un- der German occupation, but the add- ed interest is in the unusual love story; The sombre war setting makes it an unlikely screen bel. Francoise Gaudray is shown as the young, extremely bored- wife of a young writer. Though living to- gether, they have little in common. She docs not even know that her husband is mixed up in underground activities. 'When Jose Qua^lio. who belongs to his squad, comes to her house to escape possible arrest she falls immediately for him. not so much because in love with liim but because she feels he may bring some interest into her life. When sho dis- covers that her husband is really, very much in love with her, it is loo' late: Miss Gaudray gives a good per- formance. Guaglio does the terrorist role. Jacques Francois i.s plausible as the husband who loves his wife but neither shows it nor confides in her-his real activities. Max Palenc has only. a minor role as the hus- band's brother. The first and last set show the married couple's unpretentious draw- ing room. The second set is the shabby room of the young, terrorist. Mtu-i. HeitVr Yai> London, April 25; Jami-i. Thrall, Li-nlln .inllini .Im.i-j. \ M . Illiuiy tVlikliam |ii.vi,-iil:,lii.ii i.f n, w ri-vui- In l«o pai'la f.'T aiieiieai by l,n«|ic .liillan .liiin-a. DJr<i-l.-il |.y Nnrninn »lin-.«liall. Slam Beall-li-e r.lllle. Waller I'llalmIn. l'imleine llyniiin; fonlmea Vi'i-KlnlM Wlnn-r. ci-nijc,. rleilkon. .loan Sninsleaii. Mnnrav ai.hIh-hiiii HTIiarl lllllilr-,-,»Ha,i,| •fyl,,., K.iy Yiiiiiik Nnrmini )hn kforili. Musi,- -,i„i iyri.-K in- .Muriel l.lllli-. Spcncn- Wlllin.ils. Allllil'r Silnviill/.. lli.uaril Dlcl-i. lloon-i.-v Wi-ivlil Dcnliia Walilm k. \i, |ii,li,« l-lil|,|,(.. |)i-. lli: ; ArniK.iii. Cniieri Mi-Dcriii.iii. i-:,in.,i-<i i>i'. iiiiiii. IHini-CM and piihciiiI.I.-h |, V William I'liapperl. Al tlariii-k ilnair.'. Beatrice Lillie conies back to Lon- don in an intimate revue which has style and pace. It is not !he usual collecUon of comic turns and long legs seen here so ortcn recently; Though not without faults, it keeps to a goodish lever of entertainment and with Miss Lillic's nopularity running high In the West End. it looks sel for a run. ' r ." Slav opens in rolls of mink doing an operatic .satire, "WalU Song." She has a topical sketch on -refugee serv ants and a characteristic debunkori love song . "To Hold- You Z My Arms She is supported by some good dancing from the small corn? de ballet and by.Walter Crisham number, "Shepherd's Hey,' whil-l, i? Of no particular merit. The strength or the first half (apart from Miss Lillie') is an ambi lions, version of "Frankie and Johnny." with Walter. Crisham Pru- dence Hyman, ballet dancer, and Vir- ginia Winter. This is okay, and is capped by a. nostalgic music parade in hideous period .costume's called "Songs of the Twenties," -which was well-timed and got plenty of laughs. Second hair is or about equal merit and gives Crisham opporlunilir-s for his sinewy style;-of daneiiis .in • Where Do We Dream From Here" wilh Miss Hyman. But the hielilight ■of this- act is a Carmen Mii:\nri,i-li|;e satire called "Lunch TaraiUella " by author. Leslie Julian .loiios. It seenis to. derive from No. 1 Coward's la- motis tongue-twisting lyric'•■Rir.a" in "High No More." Wheitivci- it comes - from, it's good. Bca Lillie returns' In piece of in- iquity, "Lady WiiHlermeif-s Fan.'' which is a gem ot risky, frisky artis-. try.. She winds tip the show wilh her . pianist. Norman llaekrorlh. hi ■'Paiee" and one or two otlp-r songs, wliicli -Slopped the show eo'd. Because the general'level ol the show is high, it is stiiprisin,!: lliat same of the lines arc so low. ^speci- ally the palter given Joan Swinslead, who tills in. between scenc : sliiriing with thankless verbiage.- Cieoige Benson, Virginia Winlt-r - Lthe au- thor's wire), Murray Mallic'son and Bernard Htinler tonlriblile In a, gen- eral brightness. First night i-d-ep, tion was warm. Ebet. lti'vivr** ("To Live A^aln") - Paris. April 21. Chnili-y I:iii-1i,-i\,i;i pr,,ilu,-i inn ,,r l'liii-e^ - :i,-l lirfiuia. I,y .lini|ii,-s |U> llcniir, Slnia ,>|-iiy tlriiin. l-'i-alurci. l.m-icii l-iii-i-al; l.'c- mal'Kil.v-. I.'-imi II:,rv. Y\-i-a Ho,-'lia:-:in. Itilntl L'iiii->cIc. l).-ii-n\l. Ccui'j;,-.-' Aiinti. l-'iain-e AIIim. IHri'i'li il by l'li:n l,'S .1- It/u-li.-n.i I. Si l- In Aplillilc ,l» Maizl. Music I.f MlIK-- 11,-1. Al l:.., li.-r,,ll I). <-: 111 Xailese. 'IVniil. . l-'raiiiiiii-vill*-, . . < ':><■ III..K . . .Mr.-*. l?-|-alii|ii»'vi'lle I'ni-le lll.-hai.l . .. Ma,I III. haul Annii '.. siuciki-l M-irc (Irani .'.; l.m-it u I'aM-al I.i-maimiy ' . V\,-s llui-liali-aii . . 1C11 ,,u l.amyi-le . ...... . Ii.ii nvyl ...,i: ■«>■ Aiinli l'-|-iil,-.' Alba I .cuii I'.ary An amateurish script ,-iCied by an uninspired cast. Despite the.fact that, author Jacques de Benac makes much'play of the friendship hcl ween two war heroes 'who rcrtise to per- mit a girl to.'stand between them, it docs not look set for a lontf inn. Besides the thvee acts, a prologue in t he woods' of Northern France shows two Army fliers' who have just crashed. One is badly wounded and thinks he is about lo. die. Ihe Ger-. mans are hunting-for'them. So he tells the other man that'he has be- queathed his large fortune to him, and wants him to let him die there, only wanting him. to see his.girl and marry her. Act one shows the home of th'.; girl, whose father is a shady .businessman ready to have his. daughter marry anybody who 'can lend him money. Tlie girl who is about to accept the new stiiior suddenly finds that her wounded sweetherirl did not die. She would then take her old lover back. But he learns she's been the mistress of a rich collaborator. When he ig- nores her, she shoots herself. ' Mixture of heroics, sordid busi- ness and love drama is most con- fusing. Marv Grant lacks the neces- sary sex apiieal. The generally Kliff aoling and lack of production values makes the play look a mild entry at best. Lucien Pascal does the man who returns after thought dead, and Yves Dticlialeau, his flier friend. Lcmar- guv . is"-unconvincing as the-girls father. A'"- 1 '- Jolson to Produce Gleason's Trumpets' . ' Hollywood, May H. James Gleason's new play. "With- out Trumpets. " will be produced by Al Jolson, with a Broadway opening in September; Author, currently thesping in Co- lumbia's "Down to Earth," has writ- ten two acts of the play and is work- ing on the third. Jolson decided lo produce it after reading the first t\VP acts. '.'.. • Marion's 'PUsen' Draft Hollywood, May l-t. Sid Marion has been pacled by Shuberls for Iheir revival or "Prince of Pilsen" at St. Louis Municipal Opera, opening in mid-July. ;' Comic Will essay role, originated by Jess Dandy. KEENE UNDEE WAY Keene. N. H.. May 14. - Keene Summer Theatre here will open for seventh season July 2, with Freeman Ildmrnond •managing- Slrawhattcr uses pi-o(cssionals and apprentices. ■